Behavioral changes before metritis diagnosis in dairy cows

Abstract

Metritis is common in the days after calving and can reduce milk production and reproductive performance. The aim of this study was to identify changes in feeding and social behavior at the feed bunk, as well as changes in lying behavior before metritis diagnosis. Initially healthy Holstein cows were followed from 3 wk before to 3 wk after calving. Behaviors at the feed bunk were recorded using an electronic feeding system. Lying behavior was recorded using data loggers. Metritis, based upon the characteristics of vaginal discharge at d 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 after calving, was diagnosed in 74 otherwise healthy cows. Behavior of these cows, beginning 2 wk before calving until the day of diagnosis, was compared with 98 healthy cows (never diagnosed with any health disorder, including ketosis, mastitis, and lameness) during the transition period. During the 2 wk before calving, cows later diagnosed with metritis had reduced lying time and fewer lying bouts compared with healthy cows. In the 3 d before clinical diagnosis, cows that developed metritis ate less, consumed fewer meals, were replaced more often at the feed bunk, and had fewer lying bouts of longer duration compared with healthy cows. We concluded that changes in feeding as well as social and lying behavior could contribute to identification of cows at risk of metritis.

The relationship between transition period diseases and lameness, feeding time, and body condition during the dry period

“…The lack of association between feeding time and metritis contradicts previous findings (Urton et al, 2005;Huzzey et al, 2007). Recently, Neave et al (2018) conducted a study in the same experimental farm as the one used for the previous studies of Urton et al (2005) and Huzzey et al (2007), and also failed to corroborate their findings. Neave et al (2018) argued that the differences in findings could be due to the fact that Huzzey et al (2007) did not screen for SCK, which could have confounded the results because SCK has been associated with changes in feeding activity (Goldhawk et al, 2009).…”

“…Recently, Neave et al (2018) conducted a study in the same experimental farm as the one used for the previous studies of Urton et al (2005) and Huzzey et al (2007), and also failed to corroborate their findings. Neave et al (2018) argued that the differences in findings could be due to the fact that Huzzey et al (2007) did not screen for SCK, which could have confounded the results because SCK has been associated with changes in feeding activity (Goldhawk et al, 2009). To explore the hypothesis proposed by Neave et al (2018), we included (data not shown) SCK as a predictor in the metritis and feeding time model, and we were unable to detect any association between feeding time and metritis incidence, even when controlling for SCK.…”

“…Neave et al (2018) argued that the differences in findings could be due to the fact that Huzzey et al (2007) did not screen for SCK, which could have confounded the results because SCK has been associated with changes in feeding activity (Goldhawk et al, 2009). To explore the hypothesis proposed by Neave et al (2018), we included (data not shown) SCK as a predictor in the metritis and feeding time model, and we were unable to detect any association between feeding time and metritis incidence, even when controlling for SCK. Huzzey et al (2007) did not report if cows were diagnosed for lameness, and Neave et al (2018) included only sound cows in their analysis.…”

“…To explore the hypothesis proposed by Neave et al (2018), we included (data not shown) SCK as a predictor in the metritis and feeding time model, and we were unable to detect any association between feeding time and metritis incidence, even when controlling for SCK. Huzzey et al (2007) did not report if cows were diagnosed for lameness, and Neave et al (2018) included only sound cows in their analysis. We did not include lameness as a predictor in our model for metritis and feeding time because feeding time would have become an intervening variable in the association between lameness and metritis.…”

Technical note: Using an electronic drinker to monitor competition in dairy cows

“…Feed was formulated according to NRC (2001) guidelines. As animals were part of larger studies by Neave et al (2017Neave et al ( , 2018 and Lomb et al (2018a, b), the sample size was kept to the stocking density (20 cows/pen) required for those studies. Group size and composition were constant during the observations, and all animals present in the pen were included in data collection and analysis.…”